Traditional advertising is no longer effective. In the modern era, it’s both easy and possible to block out virtually every form of marketing. We change the channel, press the mute button, fast forward, turn the page, skip the ad, are dismissive of the message.
When marketing services, thought leadership is one way – a highly effective way – to build reputation, credibility and trust. It is also especially suited to B2B marketing owing to there being multiple buyers and influencers and the decision-making process being both complex and lengthy.
So what’s the difference in being an expert and being a thought leader?
Subject matter expertise is more or less what white-collar professionals claim to have after accruing a certain number of years in their chosen profession.
Thought leadership is being willing and able to provide authoritative commentary and opinion about what has taken place, what is taking place, and what may take place in our industry or profession. It requires forward thinking, passion, courage and generosity. This is why only a small proportion of experts will go on to become thought leaders.
Thought Leadership means you provide the best and deepest answers, to your customers’ biggest questions, in the formats your audience likes to consume.
The central premise of thought leadership is to provide real value, not self-promote.